Historical Relic.

Among the historical remains of Korea, Pukgwandaechopbi stands out, a tombstone erected in the Rimmyong commune of the Kim Chaek city of North Hamgyong province.

It was erected in 1708 in homage to the great victory of the troop of volunteer soldiers from Hamgyong province who, under the command of Jong Mun Bu, defeated Japanese invaders during the Imjin Patriotic War (1592-1598).

On the front and back of the 187cm high, 66cm wide and 13cm thick tombstone are sculpted more than 1,400 letters that narrate in detail the circumstances of the Japanese aggression, the course of organization of the volunteer detachment and the main battles .

After having illegally occupied Korean territory by falsifying the “Ulsa 5 Point Treaty”, the Japanese Army brought this monument to their country in 1906 for fear of increasing anti-Japanese sentiment among the Korean people. In order to hide their aggressive acts and shameful defeat and remove patriotism and anti-Japanese sentiment from the Korean nation, they threw it in a corner of the Yasukuni Shrine, a symbol of militarism, and placed a stone weighing more than a ton on it. .

In 2006, 100 years after its removal, the tombstone was returned to its original place thanks to the measures taken by Leader Kim Jong Il.

When he toured it in May 2008 (97 of the Juche era) he instructed to keep forever this monument to victory that reveals to the whole world the crimes of Japanese imperialism and shows the anti-Japanese and patriotic sentiment, the firm temperament and the unyielding fighting spirit of the Korean people.